Several years and no fruit and you are interested in the pros and cons of two separate espalier designs? It seems like you'd have more fundamental concerns about what is wrong with your current trees. If you start with good espalier varieties on dwarfing rootstock you should get fruit in two or three years from the apples at least.

I don't even know, off hand, what the two training systems are, but over the years I haven't seen any particular difference in espalier configurations as far as management issues. To make them work you need to know how to prune to develop and maintain bearing spurs.

I share the fundamental concerns (as does my wife!), but I can explain most of that away with some mistakes that I made early on. I didn't pinch back any of the side laterals instead relying on dormant pruning to shape the tree. I also haven't spent any time pruning to create fruiting spurs. I was a little naive in the belief that my only real maintenance would be an annual pruning to maintain shape. I am in the planning stages right now for adding additional trees. I don't think I will plant any new trees until I start to get some fruit from the current trees. Ideally, I will order the trees this summer for a 2014 planting.

As for the styles, there is a link below that shows different fence patterns. The Losange pattern will create a tighter grid which in theory should give the whole row more support, and it will also provide more privacy for the yard. I can't find any good information on yield related to each style though so I am hoping to find someone here with the experience to share.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:126270}}

Hi, these are the people to ask your question. Hope this helps, Mrs. G

http://www.henryleuthardtnurseries.com/

Mrs G - I'd be skeptical about that nursery. They're selling Bradford pears and they misspell "Reine-Claude"

I met the third generation owner of this nursery. He literally 'interviewed' you before he would sell you a tree! He supplied all of my espaliered trees for my house in Maine and they were magnificent. They are an excellent source. Mrs. G

Funny, I met the son of Henry at a trade show and didn't find him all that knowledgeable. I asked him about the root stocks he used for his espalier pears and he said he was indifferent and used whatever was available. His father's nursery was an inherited sideline and general landscaping his primary occupation. I detected no special passion for fruit trees that was certainly there with his pop who I long ago had a long phone conversation with.

Don't know anything about the third generation and even this interaction occurred over twenty years ago, but I think I know a fruit nerd when I talk to one.

Mispelling is ok. But I'd be skeptical of any nursery or landscaperer even offering bradford pears. What an all around dreadful tree. I thought only low-quality corporate spec home builders used them.